What The Cast Of Star Wars Rebels Looks Like In Real Life

Beginning five years before "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope," "Star Wars Rebels" introduces a motley crew that's navigating a world where Jedi barely exist even as legend, due to the tragedies that occurred more than a decade ago in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." The Rebel Alliance is fighting the good fight against the Empire, and it's up to the crew of the Ghost to lend a hand. It will take a variety of skills to ward off the Empire, and that requires a sizable ensemble cast.

These characters and their varying backgrounds are best portrayed by voice actors who can bring their own unique experiences to their roles. While some gained fame with cult classic franchises, others are staples of the "Star Wars" universe, and one even evokes game show nostalgia when his voice enters the galaxy far, far away. The series also connects itself back to "The Clone Wars" by offering voiceovers that will excite fans, while grounding the series in prior events that are shaping the future of "Star Wars." So put your cruiser into gear, and let's take a look at the actors who bring "Star Wars Rebels" to life.

Chief creative officer of LucasFilm and "Star Wars Rebels" co-creator Dave Filoni voices the lovable yet cranky droid Chopper, which is a role that he's reprised in other "Star Wars" installments, including "Ahsoka" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (which he almost never worked on).

Filoni told ScreenRant, "The easiest way to sum up Chopper that we took to on the writing team is that if [R2-D2] is your favorite dog, Chopper's a cat." These two droids even get into a fight that shows off Chopper's temper as he takes an aggressive approach at stalling R2-D2 (and some Storm Troopers) in Season 1, Episode 3, "Droids in Distress." Even if his droid noises are never exchanged for a full English sentence, we can still get the gist of his grumpy, often hostile words. 

Filoni always conveys as many emotions as he can within those limitations. They have a distinctive base that tells his crew members when he means business, even when he doesn't want to follow their plans. The deep whirring noise he makes as he turns his head also matches his patched-together look caused by past injuries. It's a sign that Filoni is committed to honoring Chopper's backstory, which is important for a chief creative officer who even uses charts to keep track of the "Star Wars" universe.

"Star Wars Rebels" is also Ezra Bridger's origin story, and it's a role that became one of the most substantial roles of Taylor Gray's career. Before "Star Wars Rebels," Gray was playing one-episode parts in shows like "Numb3rs" and "The Mentalist." Ezra's story spans four seasons, not to mention other installments of the franchise, including "Star Wars Forces of Destiny" and the video game "Star Wars: Rebels – Recon Missions."

Despite theories that Ezra is the future Supreme Leader Snoke, his story in "Star Wars Rebels" is about hope and finding your place in the world. Ezra is an orphan who unexpectedly joins the crew of the Ghost, eventually learning the ways of the Force. This young Jedi relies on his confidence and unique problem-solving skills, which allow him to become quite the con artist in order to survive. Because he's always relied on himself, Ezra isn't usually willing to go along with other people's rules. This can be felt in his questioning tone, which sometimes turns into sarcasm. 

Gray's time in "Star Wars" took on a new life in 2018 when he started contributing to Freddie Prinze Jr.'s "GEGG WARS" series, which follows the "Star Wars Rebels" cast as they play "Star Wars" role-playing games. While "Star Wars" has become a highlight of his career, "Saturday Night Live" fans may also recognize him as Al Franken in the 2024 film "Saturday Night," which chronicles the launch of the legendary series.

Freddie Prinze Jr.'s voice can evoke memories of 1990s staples like "She's All That" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer," although he's since moved away from Hollywood to focus on his family. He still dabbled in different genres and franchises, especially via voice acting, and that experience shows as he firmly plants his feet into the role of seasoned Jedi Kanan Jarrus.

Kanan knows how to take action, and he reveals that much of his street sense came from being a Jedi, which is an identity that he doesn't share with everyone. He's careful when choosing who to trust, and he may sense the same discernment from Ezra, which is why he eventually teaches him how to use the Force. Prinze plays this role with a firm yet fair tone, ready to face frustrations, especially when he realizes that Ezra needs more Jedi training than he has time for during Season 1, Episode 5, "Rise of the Old Masters."

Prinze has spent much of his career in live-action projects, and he told StarWars.com that he has figured out how to effectively portray animated characters. "Being an [on-screen] actor, you have so much to use. ... With voice acting, it's a microphone. ... So I just try to visualize how he looks and find what I do best and bring a lot of that," he said, adding that Kanan's half-grin mirrors the expression he made over his excitement about joining "Star Wars."

Vanessa Marshall is a longtime voice actor with dozens of high-profile credits, including the role of Wonder Woman in "Harley Quinn." She joined the "Star Wars" universe way before "Star Wars Rebels," playing various characters in some "Star Wars" games, including Jan Ors in 2002's "Star Wars: Jedi Knight II – Jedi Outcast." "Star Wars Rebels" marks her first time voicing a character in a TV series, though.

Marshall plays Hera Syndulla, the Twi'lek pilot of the Ghost. She's the voice of reason and the glue that keeps everyone together. Her voice is mostly calm with an underlying tone of care that proves that she really wants what's best for her friends. Marshall knows how to add strong inflections as needed, especially when Chopper gets on her nerves. Playing Hera is the perfect role for her given her action-adventure background, which helps her share the surprise and urgency of each moment in a way that makes it believable. She has even taken her portrayal to "Star Wars: The Bad Batch," which gives us a look at her origin story during that show's first season. 

"Star Wars" is not Marshall's first venture into the science-fiction space, either. "Star Trek: Lower Decks" fans may recognize her as the voice of several characters, including Lieutenant Ottessa Warren, who appears during the first two seasons.

Steve Blum is a mainstay in the voiceover space, embodying well-known characters like Marvel's animated Wolverine and Spike Spiegel in "Cowboy Bebop." He uses his distinctive voice to his advantage as Zeb Orrelios, the sarcastic Lasat rebel who would do anything to protect the Ghost and his crew. That level of care could be why he doesn't totally trust Ezra Bridger at first. Blum adds in a layer of annoyed inflections to show just how much Zeb dislikes Ezra, and this is matched by his frustrated expressions, especially seen during a roommate snafu in Season 1, Episode 4, "Fighter Flight."

Blum's voice will delight Marvel fans who have enjoyed his portrayal of Wolverine throughout several "X-Men" installments, including the series "Wolverine and the X-Men." It's easy to compare Wolverine with Zeb, since they both grapple with trauma. Zeb recalls the destruction of his homeworld while Wolverine reflects on how experimentation shaped his life. However, both characters can be big softies, which is a side of Zeb that we eventually see as he an Ezra are forced to work together, leading to not just partnership, but friendship.

"Star Wars Rebels" is aware of the fact that it's supposed to be a welcome mat for young fans, and that self-awareness comes in the form of including as many representative characters as possible, including a young Mandalorian woman. Sabine Wren represents the culture, and she's played by Tiya Sircar. Much of Sircar's work has been in the comedy space, and that experience helps her achieve the right tone for this lighthearted Ghost crewmember.

Sabine is a mechanical genius who loves to solve problems, but she also knows how to take time for fun. She doesn't want to miss out on time with her crewmembers, and she even likes to prank them. That includes the time she used her artistic abilities to make light of Zeb Orrelios and Ezra Bridger's bunkbed catastrophe during Season 1, Episode 4, "Fighter Flight."

Sabine goes through a lot of emotions in each season, and Sircar weaves her way through each situation by quickly changing her tone to react in a way that adds an extra layer to her expressions. It's a skill that could only be mastered by someone with a comedic background, because many of the situations are fast-paced and unpredictable. Many will recognize her for her role as the demon Vicky in "The Good Place," which clearly honed her skills for "Rebels."

While many of these actors played iconic characters before joining "Star Wars Rebels," Dee Bradley Baker also has the distinction of playing a fan-favorite character from a 1990s game show. That's right, the voice of Olmec in "Legends of the Hidden Temple" trades in those jungle adventures for galactic conflict by playing Captain Rex.

Captain Rex first appeared in the movie installment of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." He was a key player, a clone trooper who created a solid friendship with Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) before his betrayal. In "Star Wars Rebels," Captain Rex is called out of retirement when the Ghost team needs a safe space to retreat to in Season 2, Episode 3, "The Lost Commanders." While many clones have voices that can sound robotic, Baker, who voices almost all trooper clones, gives Rex a sincerity that is undoubtedly human.

Besides playing Captain Rex, Baker voices various smaller characters in "Star Wars Rebels," including Admiral Konstantine. Some "Star Wars" fans may also recall his time as Commander Cody in a few franchise installments, including "Star Wars: The Bad Batch," which revealed what happened to him after Order 66. 

It shouldn't be a surprise that Baker voices so many different characters, since his credits show off a wide range, including Daffy Duck, the Tasmanian Devil in "Space Jam," and Perry the platypus in "Phineas and Ferb." He's a true chameleon in the acting world, making him the perfect person to take on a complex character like Captain Rex — and, later, all of the Bad Batch.

While "Star Wars Rebels" is a fun thrill-ride, it's also a dramatic show that's not afraid to focus on the strategies and betrayals happening within the Empire. Agent Kallus is a member of the Imperial Security Bureau, and he embodies the coldness of the Empire as he tries to put up roadblocks for the Ghost crew. It's a role that offers an air of prestige that could only be pulled off by an actor with a large, dramatic background, and that's why David Oyelowo is the perfect person for the job.

Oyelowo offers a commanding voice in the midst of uncertainty, which proves a loyalty to the Empire that, in turn, encourages the troops to march into danger. He hopes that his love for the rules and unwavering devotion to the cause will eventually win him the favor that he needs to advance ranks, and potentially further his own agendas.

Oyelowo is no stranger to strong roles. Moviegoers will recognize him for playing Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma." He's also commanded the small screen by playing a dramatized version of the first Black U.S. Marshal in "Lawmen: Bass Reeves." In a "Star Wars" featurette, Oyelowo explained that being in "Star Wars" has been a big deal for his kids, which makes him happy.

The Grand Inquisitor embodies villainy in a way that is similar to Darth Vader as he reminds viewers that no mercy exists in the Empire. His tone is steeped with hate, creating a voice that could only be crafted by "Harry Potter" alum Jason Isaacs.

Isaacs became a household name by playing Lucius Malfoy, but his resume is much more vast than that. That said, like the Grand Inquisitor, Isaacs' Malfoy hates to divert from a mission, and he makes sure that everyone feels his wrath. This definitely applies to the Jedi, since the Grand Inquisitor was once a Jedi Temple guard himself. His disgust for the fallen order is felt in his final battle with Kanan in Season 1, Episode 15, "Fire Across the Galaxy."

It's a role that could also be compared to Isaacs' time as Captain Gabriel Lorca in "Star Trek: Discovery." Like the Grand Inquisitor, he's not afraid to switch sides for his betterment, and Gabriel's mutiny kicks off the entire series. While the Grand Inquisitor's schemes don't drive the main plot of "Star Wars Rebels," his influence does help push the story forward. It's a role that proves that Isaacs is a master at bringing convincing villains to the screen.

Like Dave Filoni, Lars Mikkelsen has portrayed the animated and live-action versions of his character, and whether he's on camera or in a sound booth, Mikkelsen will send chills down your spine as Grand Admiral Thrawn.

This Imperial officer first appears at the beginning of Season 3 and later gives us a good sense of his tactical cruelty during Season 3, Episode 10, "An Inside Man." He addresses Imperial workers in a calm, monotone voice that is audibly quiet, but its effect becomes louder as he asks workers to test out the tools that they've built, which results in horror. His demeanor is equally chilled, which he maintains after a big explosion, proving that he sees everyone as a faceless player in an even bigger game.

Mikkelsen continues his portrayal of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the live-action "Ahsoka" series, which finds him bringing his signature tone back to the "Star Wars" universe, pairing it with a flesh and blood yet stone-cold expression. Lars is the brother of fellow actor Mads Mikkelsen, who played Galen Erso in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," and like his brother, he has plenty of dramatic credits to his name. Fans can spot him playing Captain Anderson in Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein," and he's also stolen scenes as Stregobor during the first three seasons of "The Witcher."

Out of all of the cast, Ryder Azadi is the one who looks the most like his voice actor, due to his distinctive jawline and slick white hair. Clancy Brown started playing the politician during Season 2 of "Star Wars Rebels." He's an important side character who pushes the story forward by using his can-do attitude to help the Ghost crew. He's also a central part of Ezra Bridger's story, as he's the one to tell Ezra about his parents' deaths. 

Clancy approaches Ryder with nonstop charisma that punctuates happy moments and heightens the action during conflict. He's also a fierce protector, which he proves when he starts firing at Ezra and Kanan Jarrus when he mistakes them for intruders in Season 2, Episode 11, "Legacy." This moment includes Clancy's gentle gruffness, which adds to his protector persona while introducing viewers to his well-known tough side that.

Brown also portrayed Ryder in the live-action "Ahsoka" series, and his delivery offers a somber sincerity as he pays tribute to one important Ghost member. Clancy has stolen scenes in franchises like "John Wick," "Starship Troopers," and "SpongeBob SquarePants." Of course, many will never forget his time as the corrupt Byron Hadley in "Shawshank Redemption," which offers a darkness that is in stark contrast to Ryder. It proves that Brown knows how to feel the weight of a story.

"Star Wars Rebels" clings to memories of the Clone Wars, especially as Kanan Jarrus grapples with the carnage he witnessed as a youth. The inclusion of Ahsoka Tano helps to add context to those events. It's a pleasant surprise for "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" fans who adored Ashley Eckstein's portrayal, even though she told Looper that her audition for Ahsoka wasn't great.

While she knows how to send the Ghost crew in the right direction, she also focuses on her own quests, which is made clear in Season 2, Episode 3, "The Lost Commanders." Ahsoka sends them off to Captain Rex, but she excuses herself from their journey by making several references to the former Anakin Skywalker. It's a moment that expands the story of "Star Wars Rebels," allowing for a deeper connection to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" while also trying to satisfy fan curiosity.

Eckstein excels at her portrayal of Ahsoka because she offers both a calmness and a calculated urgency that makes her a natural leader. Before Ahsoka, Eckstein was known for playing high school mean girl, Muffy, in the sitcom "That's So Raven." She's also the founder of the pop culture clothing company Her Universe, which offers several Ahsoka-inspired pieces. She's also revisited the role through several "Star Wars" projects, including the 2025 TV series "Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy."